-Cold as Ice-
by Freedom Rose
Summary: Jon never thought that the Stark family loved or even liked him...until one day on the ice prooved him wrong... (Lots of Stark-fluff inside and of coure a bit of drama)
1. Chapter 1

Hello everyone,

this is actually my verry first story of 'Games of Thrones' and currently I am in love with this show. I never liked the fact how Jon was treated by his family, especially Catelyn, but I think that especially Robb, Arya and Lord Eddmund really loved him. I hope you will like this story, I will continue it as soon as I can. (I do NOT own the story. All rights belong to the author and the producers-not to me...unfortunately...)

(Robb and Jon are 15 years old in the story)

Jon breathed in the cold, icy air. It was so impossible cold, that he wanted to ride back to the castle, but he couldn't- not when his father, uncle Benjen and their guards were there. So he acted strong, like the cold wind wouldn't bother him, but he pulled his heavy fur closer around him. He rode next to Robb, a little bit ahead of the others, which were talking to his high father about some poacher near their borders, but Robb and Jon weren't listen. The were too busy with thinking about the new girl in their household. She worked in the kitchen and Robb swear that he never saw a woman who was more beautiful.

"Dear brother I swear she is gorgeous! She is everything a man needs in such cold nights like we have here!"

Jon laughed. "I agree, but why are you so sure that she would even recognize you?" Robb snorted.

"Because I am the heir of Winterfell! And you're just the bastard!" He laughed and Jon had to join. He knew that Robb was joking and such comments from him, well, he was his brother and Robb would never meant it to hurt him like the others did. Like _Lady Catelyn did all the time. _

"Dear brother I have to tell you that she talked to me first. Not your mighty presence."

"Asking her of another piece of cake doesn't count LITTLE brother!"

Jon laughed again. "Tells the one who wakes up drooling in lessons because he had another of his wet dreams!" Robb turned-over his horse. "Alright Snow, that is enough! We have to make a decision today!"

"And what do you have in mind!" "A race, the one who will win, will give the other the antecedence when it comes to Alissa!" Jon looked at him, then nodded.

"Alright, down to the bridge and then back to the castle! Tonight I want to have dinner with the most beautiful woman in the castle!" "You will have dinner with the dogs, Snow!" "We'll see!", and with that Jon turned his horse and pressed his face against the limb.

"Snow wait! You little bastard wait for me!"

Lord Stark looked at his sons. He had to laugh about them, and was glad that they both were best friends. It could have been different... "Be careful you two! And don't cross the river! The ice is not frozen enough!" But they were already gone. "Boys will be boys!" Ned turned around and saw his little brother, who rod next to him and had a big smile on his face. "It looks like they won't grow up so fast." Benjen laughed and agreed.

"Aye, as long as they don't break their necks." "The gods forbid. Catelyn will have my head." They both didn't mention that Catelyn would only asked about one boy. "We should hurry and keep an eye on them. The river is not really frozen yet."

Jon rose both his fists in the air. "I've won you loser! Now tell me brother who will go to have dinner with his mommy, while the bastard will have it with the most beautiful woman in the castle?!"

Robb's horse ran in Jon's direction, he stopped it and looked at him. "Snow you little cheater! It was not a deserved win!" Jon waved it aside. "You're just a sore loser Stark! Go to your mommy and have a good cry, you baby!" Before Jon could finish the sentence Robb had pulled him down from his horse. "Say it again when you're not sitting on a high horse!" "Go to mommy and have a good cry, maybe she will sing you a lullaby so that you will sleep. And maybe you won't have another wet dream then..."

Before he could finish the whole sentence Robb had already pulled him down, sitting on top of him. Jon cursed, his brother was still stronger than he was. He tried to move under him but could barely breath. "Say it again little brother! Say that you didn't mean it and that you're a good dog! You can have dinner with Septa Mordane!"

Jon cursed and with one strong jostle he pushed Robb around so that he was on top of him. "What was that?" "I disagree with whatever you're saying!" And Robb pushed him again but this time Jon felt too far, down the slope next to the bridge- and Robb who had to much impetus felt with him on the thin ice. As Jon opened his eyes he turned his head around and saw his brother who lay on his side. "Robb?", he groaned. "Are you alright?"

Robb turned his bod slowly in the direction of the voice. "Aaa. Jon, I think I broke my back!" Jon couldn't help but laughed. "You are such a baby Stark! We just felt down the hill. Nothing special!", and Robb joined in the laughter. After a few seconds he turned around completely and looked at his brother. "Seriously Snow lets go up. I am freezing to death here on the ice!"

He nodded and took the outstretched hand of his older brother and best friend. As soon as they were standing Robb laughed again and tapped the snow from Jon's fur. "Come one, father will look after us and when we come late none of us will be able to talk to Alissa for the next week." Jon turned around, a smile still on his face and wanted to go back to the shore, but a break and the following deathly silence made him stopped and he looked around.

"What the..." Robb couldn't finish the sentence, because the ice started to break. They both looked at the little crack, which became bigger and bigger every passing second. "Robb..." But before Jon could finish the sentence he heard a familiar voice:

"Robb! Jon! Stay still! Don't move!" Jon looked in horror at the crack in the ice- and at his brother on the other side of it. Robb was as pale as the snow around them. "Jon..we have to go!" He looked around, his father and his uncle were standing on the edge of the shore, his father was binding a robe around his big torso.

Another loud CRACK cut through the air, so heavy that Robb felt down. Lord Stark was shouting instructions to them but none of them could hear anything. But it was unambiguous that they shouldn't moved. "Robb come to me. Jump to my side!" The crack got wider and wider, many little cracks drove through the ice. It was a matter of a few seconds, which would decided who would survive and who not, until the ice broke completely.

But Robb didn't seem to hear, didn't seem to listen. He just looked at the main-crack and got paler. "Robb move!" But his brother was deaf to his words and Jon knew that it was time to do something, although he knew that his father would have his head for this! But instead of staying still until Lord Stark came he rushed forwards and grabbed his brother by his shoulders, pulling him next to him and even further, as he felt how the ground underneath him, gave away.

Robb felt down to the ground, dazed by fear and pain from falling hard on the ice a second time. He looked in pure horror at Jon who felt through the crack into the ice-water. His scream died on his lips.

Jon swore that he never felt so much pain in his young life before. It was like thousands needles pricked into his skin. Everything around him was dark and it was so cold, that he couldn't think, he couldn't move, he couldn't even breath! There was only darkness around him.

Ned watched in pure horror how his _son_ felt through the ice. He couldn't scream, he just stared at the scene in front him. His other son on his knees, screaming his lungs out, calling his brother, wanting to get close to the large hole, which grew from this little crack. It was Benjen who stormed forwards, on the ice. "Robb, stay the fuck still! Don't move a single inch of yours!" Lord Eddard grabbed the rope and went onto the ice. He wanted nothing more than to run on the ice and to grab hos sons from it, holding them close. But he couldn't.

"Ned be careful when you grab them from the ice. The ice around the hole will possibly break when you pull Jon out!" Benjen held the other end of the rope, while the guards looked helpless to their Sire and the children on the ice.

Robb sobbed helplessly as he leant into the icy water, he didn't feel the cold, he was numb to it. He just wanted to find his brother, who still wasn't to see. The black sea has swallowed his little brother. He screamed his name again and again, ignored his uncle's and father's words and instructions, dived his head into the water but it was to dark to see a thing. "Jon! Jon please! Jon!" Suddenly a black-haired tuft was pushed through the hole. It was Jon, who puffed and blowed the water form his lungs.

"Jon! Jon are you alright?" The kid looked through his wet hair up to his worried looking brother- and nodded. Rob sighed relief and started to pull his brother out of the ice. "Come on Jon, you have to get out of it! Now!" But Jon couldn't help- he was numb, he couldn't move an inch, although he tried as hard as he could. He didn't have control over his body anymore. "I...I can't." Even his voice was hard to understand. Everything meant pain, he felt how he got weaker and how his grip on the edge of the hole got lost his strength. He didn't feel the pain of the cuts from the ice, he just saw how his blood flowed into the water.

"Jon please, try as hard as you can! Come on!" Robb took his heavy fur, soaked in water, and wanted to pull him out of the it, over the ice, but the ice crumbled under him- and Jon felt back into the water, and Robb almost with him, but there was a strong hand around his shoulder and pulled him, just in time, away from the now bigger hole. As he turned around he saw his father, with a grim, but concentrated expression in his face. A pang of hope went through him. He grabbed Robb and pulled him carefully away from the hole.

"No! No father please! We have to get Jon out first!" "Shut up!" He pulled his first born son energetic back. "Slide on your stomach back to your uncle and stay there! Hold on the rope!" Robb saw he harsh look on his father's face. Right now he was Lord Stark of Winterfell and Robb didn't dare to disobey.

Ned pulled himself closer to the hole and put his arm in the water, ignored the cold and the pain which crawled his arm up, and felt for his son. He couldn't find anything and he started to panic. He saw how Jon's head got down a second time and how he got under the ice again. He prayed to all seven goods that they would bring him back. He couldn't fail Jon. He couldn't fail _her_. And then-suddenly- he felt something and he pulled. As he saw Jon's face he couldn't help but tears of joy streamed down his face.

"Jon! Child are you alright? Look at me son!" Jon had felt how he was pulled up again, but he couldn't realize how. He saw the light through the dark water, had seen how the light came closer and closer, until he was in the cold air again and saw a very familiar face, but it wasn't Robbs. It was his Lord Father.

"Father," he mumbled. "Yes, yes my son it's me. Look at me Jon!" He wanted to, he really wanted to look at his father, but everything hurt. He couldn't move his head. "Jon Snow look at me this instant!" His father's words were like a crack of a whip through the icy wind- and Jon looked up.

"I will get you out of here, do you understand me?" Jon looked at him, trying to understand the words, but couldn't make any sense out of them. "Jon!" He nodded. "Hold onto me, with all your power." Jon tried to lay his hands on his father's fur, but he couldn't take a hold on it.

"It is alright son. I will get you out of here." Lord Stark held with his right arm Jon at his collar, while he opened the needle, which hold Jon's fur together, with his other hand. He felt the difference instantly, as the heavy fur sank down. Then the ice underneath them started to crack and he heard Jon's small whimper. He reacted instinctive:

With a strength he never thought he had, he pulled his son out of the ice and rolled to the side, as soon as he had Jon safe in his arms. Only a moment later the ice gave away, just a few inches next to them. Lord Eddard lay on his back on the ice, his son laying down on his chest, both breathing hard, frozen through the bones. It was the small pull at the rope on his torso which shrank Ned out of his prayers. His brother Benjen stood on the shore, Robb next to him, and screamed their names. "Hello there." Ned stroke carefully Jon's wet hair out of his face. It was so very cold that there was already ice in it. But Jon didn't look at his him, he just nestled his face in the warmth of his father's furs, shaking uncontrollably. "Let's get you and your brother home, son."

I hope you like it, if you do please write a short comment. I try to build your ideas in. Until next time

Freedom Rose


	2. Chapter 2

Hello everyone,

thank you sooo much for following and liking my story :) It means so much to me!

I hope you will like the second chapter:

(Warnings: It was rated for T...violence and maybe strong language in this chapter...)

* * *

With the most careful touch Lord Stark pulled his son over the ice, back to the shore. Jon hadn't looked at him yet and it worried Ned. The boy was shaking at his whole body and his lips had a light blue tone. It seems like all the power had left him, since he felt into the ice. "Hold on Jon, soon we're home and there will be already a fire and warm furs waiting for you."

As soon as Ned arrived at the shore, hand pulled them upwards, saying their names over and over again. He felt how Jon was pulled away from him and as he turned around he saw his brother Benjen who already removed Jon's wet scarf and pullover, supported his nephew with one hand. He took his own huge and cozy fur from his shoulders and wrapped it around the freezing boy, stroking over his hands, face and chest in attempt to warm him up.

"Jon are you alright?" Rob was already covered in the furs of their guardsmen, standing close to his brother, watching him carefully. But Jon didn't seem to hear or see anything and Ned switched a concerned look with his brother.

"Robb you will ride with Benjen home." Robb wanted to protest, wanted to stay with his brother, but one stern look from his father made him obey. Benjen looked at his brother again, as Robb had gone to the horses, not after squeezing Jon's shoulder affectionally: "I will ride back to the castle, prepare the rooms and everything else. Hold him awake, otherwise he may not survive the night!" Lord Stark nodded, but the fear, as cold as the ice itself, spread out in his heart.

He got his horse, pulled Jon up and manoeuvred him in the saddle so that he could look him in the eye, pressed him against his chest, wrapped him in his own fur in a desperate attempt to keep him warm, trying to share his body heat. Benjen took Robb and rode first to Winterfell, followed by the king himself.

* * *

Jon didn't know how long it took until the reached the castle, but he was sure, that he would never had reached it so fast like his father did. He pressed his face closer to his father's chest, into his fur, but everything felt numb to him but even thinking was hurting him. Every time the blackness threatened to overcome him, he was shaken awake and he heard his father's voice, but he couldn't make an sense of it.

Soon enough he felt how hands pulled him away, and he couldn't help but whimpered. He was carried inside the castle, into a small but very warm kitchen. It was the closest room in the castle and as he looked up he could already see a warm fire in the chimney and his brother Robb in warm, new furs, who ran to him. "Jon, Jon please be alright brother!" He saw that Robb had been crying and he still had tears in his eyes. Robb never cried, at least not often.

"Robb go back to the chimney and MOVE!" Uncle Benjen's voice, demanding as never before, made Robb jump and obey. Benjen grabbed Jon and pulled him in front of the open fire, starting to undressing him completely, out of his wet clothes. Lord Stark came into the room as well, grabbed a dry fur and covered Jon in it, to give him some warmth. As Jon was dressed in dry clothes Benjen took his face in his hands and stroke carefully over his face, his hands and his chest, like he did at the shore.

Jon didn't looked at him, he looked down at his feet. He didn't know what was wrong with him, but he felt an apathy in his body which was new to him. It feared him. Every energy and every power had left him, he felt numb to everything, even the pain was gone now, which was a huge relief to him, but it left him tired and weak. "Jon look at me."

Uncle Benjen place two fingers under his chin and moved his head to the left and to the right. "Jon look at me!" The voiced sounded stricter, more insisting. His face was turned over again, with such a gently touch, that Jon looked surprised up just to meet the eyes of hic uncle. He didn't know what he had seen in them, but it was enough to worry his uncle more.

"Move Jon. Go around, like your brother. We have bring the heat back into your bones!" Jon didn't want to move, he just wanted to sleep, but his father had already had his arm around him and pulled, carried him through the small kitchen-up and down. With his other hand he took a piece of a soft cloth and rubbed small circles over Jon's face- over his cheeks, over his nose, chin and forehead. Jon didn't know how he moved, but he was sure, that his father did all the work for him, without his supporting arm around his waist, he would have fallen to the ground, he was sure. His legs felt so very wobbly and weak, they were shaking uncontrollably. Hi steps were uncoordinated and every single time he flinched when he heard his uncle's voice, when he admonished Robb. He never heard him so strict before, not his uncle Benjen.

First he didn't feel anything in his extremities: He couldn't feel his legs, the cloth upon his face, his feet and hands, but soon enough he felt a burning haul in his legs, which grew more and more. His breath came in short gasps, because he couldn't breath properly. It became worse and worse and then the heat became so painfully that he groaned.

Under the careful watch of his father and his uncle Benjen, Jon tried to go on, but he couldn't find the strength to resist the pain. He heard his father's voice in his ear: "Jon you have to go on!" "It hurts.." "I know, but this is good! You have to move forwards, so your muscles will work again and won't die off."

The pain became stronger and stronger, and finally he just stood still, ignoring his father's pulls and persuasions to move on. Lord Stark kneeled in front of him, shook him slightly to get his attention. "Jon move, otherwise your legs will stay frozen." "No, I won't!" Tears streamed down his cheeks, although he wanted to stay strong in front of his father, his uncle and brother. But the pain grew so intense that he couldn't bear it anymore. "I know boy, but you WILL go on! You HAVE to go on!"

More tears streamed down his face and Ned felt how his heart gave a painfully pang to see his sons so deeply troubled and upset. "Jon," his father took his face in both hands and look him directly in the eye," it will be easier with time! GO ON!"

Lord Stark tried to pull him through the kitchen but Jon refused. "Let go of me!" The words resounded through the small room and sounded at least three times louder than Jon wanted it to be. He felts how everyone looked at him, but it was his father's look that made him felt ashamed and he wanted to cut his tongue out for this- he had never spoke to his father like this before.

But it was not Lord Stark who censured him, it was his uncle who kneeled down in front of him, shook him hard and forced him to look up, into his eyes. "Boy have you left you brain on the ice? When your father tells you to move, you will, do you understand me!" "But it hurts!" "Of course it does, what do you think?! You were for minutes into frozen water, you have to get your body warm up again! So you will do whatever we're saying! The gods may help you if you will disobey us again!"

Jon wanted to say something in response but he couldn't think of a fitting answer, so he let himself pulled away by his father. More tears streamed down his face and his whimpers got louder, although he didn't want them to hear it. It was his father's gentle touch who wiped his tears away and who spoke gentle words to him, although he know that he didn't deserved them, after he talked in such a disrespected way to his father.

* * *

Lord Stark know that his son didn't mean any of it, he was blind by pain and fear. He couldn't bare to see any of his children in pain, especially when they had gone through so much like Jon did today. The child wanted nothing more than a warm bed and a good night's sleep, but he would have to wait until his numbness would fade. His brother knew better what to do when someone almost froze to death. If anyone would know what to do in such a case, than a man from the nightwatch.

The pain got worse with every step Jon made. He couldn't control the shaking anymore, he preferred the numbness in his bones, but now both of his legs, and his face hurt. It burned with every move and he stopped as he felt another wave of heat rolling up his tights.

"Come on Jon. You're almost done now." "Please father, let go of me!", murmured Jon. Lord Stark kneeled in front of him once more and rubbed his hands, his arms. "You're lucky enough not to have any death fingers or toes, and may the gods hunt me down when I allow that you will get any constant damages from your stupidity!" Lord Stark pulled him forward. Jon tried to oppress a sob, but somehow his father heard it and squeezed his hand, which was more painfully than comforting. He didn't know how long his father and uncle wanted him to go the room up and down, but next to the constant pain, his growing tiredness caused him another problem. More often he felt how his eyes closed, but every single time his father or uncle Benjen would shake him awake. He felt how Robb throw him more and more concerned looks, but he didn't say anything, because he should stay silent, drinking his warm soup.

Lord Stark stayed with his son all the time, but he felt how his last energy left the boy with every passing step and with threats or soft encouragements, nothing could make him go further. It was until Jon felt asleep, during walking, that Ned had to kneel down once more to shake him awake.

"No sleeping Jon! Stay awake!" Jon didn't seem to respond, so he shook him harder.

Jon didn't want to respond, maybe when he would ignore his father, he would be allowed to go back into his chamber, but suddenly he felt a sharp pain in his right cheek. It was another kind of pain he felt there. He looked up and saw his father's angry expression. It was deathly silent in the kitchen, Robb let his spoon sank and looked in astonishment at his father, who had just beat Jon.

Jon looked more surprised but was mostly hurt that his father had beat him. He couldn't remember the last time that his father had given him a slap in the face.

"You WILL do what I tell you, and you won't question or ignore me either! Do you understand?" Jon didn't look up, there were not only tears of pain in his eyes. As Lord Stark gave him another slap in the face, he looked up and looked at his father for a second. "You will move until I or your uncle will tell you otherwise!" He gave him a push, but still hold his hands around his torso, so that he would be able to catch him, before he would fall down to the ground and hurt himself.

Jon didn't care anymore, he let his tears streamed down his face. This was the most horrible day in his whole life! Not that he fell through the ice, that his whole body was in pain, he was slapped by his father like a naughty child, everything was so damn unfair! He wanted to push the supporting hands away, but he knew that he would have fallen to the ground, when they wouldn't be there to catch him.

Ned could scream and cry at the same moment. What had he done? He just beat his son. He didn't mean to hurt him, the gods forbids, but he didn't want him to fall asleep either, too big were his fears, too big were his worries for him. He swore to his beautiful baby sister, that he would do everything to protect her little baby. He almost felt her once today, he would be damned, when he would let fall her twice.

The pain came with surprise, although he thought that he would be used by now, but this kind of burning was new to him. He sobbed out loud and instantly his father's arm were around him, pulling him close, stroking over his chest, so that breathing would be easier.

"Here we are, you made through it Jon. From now on it will be easier..." He felt how uncle Benjen ruffled his hair, smiled at him, but Jon couldn't join it. He didn't know how his uncle knew it, he didn't care, he just wanted to lay down and to sleep.

Lord Stark wiped his tears again from his cheeks, smiled softly at him and stroke carefully over his cheek. Jon was almost so tired, that he couldn't look up anymore. "Pleas let me sleep", his voice thick from exhaustion and pain. "I know and I promise that you can lay down in a moment. Just let me have another look at you." His uncle Benjen looked at his finger, at his toes, at his face, but there were no swellings and no chilblains. He took his hands and inspected the cuts, left from the ice.

"They are not deep, I don't think that they need stitches, but Maester Luwin shall have a look at it." Lord Stark nodded. "Bring Robb upstairs, I will take care of Jon." Robb wanted to protest, but Lord Stark nodded at him. "Robb go with your uncle, I will come later to you." Benjen grabbed Robb, pulled him up and shoved him carefully through the door. "You can go on yourself or I will carry you. It is your choice." Robb decided to go on his own.

"Jon look at me." The words were spoken softly, without a harsh undertone in it. He obeyed. "I am sorry that I had to beat you my son. But you have to understand that it was for your well-being. If you would have fallen asleep, you could have died. You have to trust me, when I am demanding something from you!" Jon didn't say anything, he just let his head rest on his father's bride shoulders, crying softly in his cloak. "May I sleep now? Please father, please!" Lord Stark didn't say anything, he just pulled his son softly over his shoulder and carried him to his room.

As Lord Stark wanted to turn into the right corridor, where Jon's chamber was, next to Robb's and Arya's, he was called back by a voice. As he turned around he saw that it was Nymeria, a maid of his wife.

"Excuse me Lord Stark. But the queen told me to look after you. She wanted you to come to her." "I will Nymeria, as soon as I brought my son to bed and took care of him." "My Lord you misunderstood me. The Queen wants you to come to her with the boy. She told me that her room would be the warmest in the castle and she already prepared a fire and the bed and everything else." She nodded at him and went away. Lord Stark, couldn't help but smiled. His heart swelled on for the love of his beautiful wife. His queen. As he lay his son down in their soft bed and covered him with many furs, he kissed his wife passionately. Jon didn't notice anything. He was already deeply asleep.

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I hope you liked it...I think I will update one or two more chapters...I didn't want to exaggerate anything, but I thought that Lord Stark would act very worried about Jon..Please write a comment. Thanks for reading :))


	3. Chapter 3

Hello everyone,

thank you so much for the reviews and for sticking with me. I hope you will like the new chapter. It is very short, but I thought it would fit :))

Until next time

* * *

The next time Jon woke up he didn't know where he was, but he couldn't care less. All he cared about was the comfortable warmth around him, which made him sank more into the warm furs which covered him completely. He recognized that strong arms held him, and as he opened his eyes slowly he couldn't see the face of the person but the smell and touch was very familiar, it had to be his father. Why lay he in his arms? This was very strange, because it was a long time ago since he woke up in his father's arms the last time. But he felt safe and comfortable and that was all that mattered for him now, so he sank further into his father's embrace. The last thing he felt was a hand stroking through his hair and over his back until everything went black once more.

Lord Stark stroke gently Jon's hair back, holding him close to hist chest. His son was literally knocked out, only his small breaths showed that he was indeed very much alive. The medicus had already bandaged his hands, cleaned the wounds first, but Jon didn't even stir, although it had to be a very painfully moment for him.

Master Luwin was still worried, that Jon could develop a fever during the night, so he ordered that someone would always watch him. Lord Stark stayed by his son's side, didn't want to leave him, until he knew that he was out of the woods. As the nightmares started, he climbed into his bed next to his son, pulling him close, to let him know that he was not alone, that someone was by his side to watch over him. Another thing Maester Luwin told him, that his sleep would be disturbed by nightmares- horrible nightmares of the darkness and the cold which claimed Jon's heart.

But every single time tears would stream down his face and he would sob into his sleep, Ned would wipe them away, jockeyed him back to sleep, so that he would get his much needed rest. Jon didn't woke up.

Lady Catelyn didn't say anything. She stayed in the room, left only for a short time to go to Robb, but his son was also already asleep, knocked out from the stressful day. Robb would recover without problems, he didn't develop a fever during the night, he didn't seem to have nightmares of the cold and darkness, but Rob wasn't caught in the frozen water. He was much to exhausted to have nightmares, so he just slept through, hours for hours and only when his sleep became lighter in the early morning, he would wake up from a nightmare of his little brother dying, but then Benjen would be there, coaxing him back to sleep, telling him that Jon was alright and alive. And Robb would obeyed gladfully, sinking back into his warm pillows and blankets.

Cately stayed at his husband's side. Although they didn't spoke a single word during the first night, she would stay, sitting in front of the fire, sewing or reading, or just sitting by the window, staring out in the darkness, looking at the stars and moon above her.

Ned appreciated her company very much. He would never forget that she allowed Jon to stay in their bed. It was a rare occasion. Usually Jon wouldn't even enter their bedrooms, he didn't dare to let Catelyn be angry at him. He hoped that every day and every night would be so chilled, but another face at his son's pale face, let him shrink. He looked so very small and young. But he would be damned if he would fail his beautiful sister...He promised her 15 years ago that he would do everything in his power to help her baby, to raise it like his own. And that he was. Ned never doubted his love for Jon Snow. He was his blood, who cares that he wasn't his own son? When Jon called him father and looked up to him he thanked the gods for him and for his well-being, and that the truth would never come out.

"My love you should rest!" He looked at Catelyn who sat in front of the open fire and smiled warmly at him. "I will do it when I know that he won't develop a fever." "I will stay up. I will look at him."

* * *

Ned nodded at her and rested his head against the warm fur pillows, next to Jon's. One last time he stroke the child's hair out of his face, which looked so much like his own and thanked the gods for it, until he let his eyes closed. It was a few hours later until his wife woke him up again. "Ned...Ned wake up. It is Jon. He developed a fever!"


End file.
